The trip is expected to enhance Vietnam’s position on the international stage and further promote the Vietnam-Canada comprehensive partnership at a time when the two countries are celebrating the 45th anniversary of diplomatic ties.

Established in 1975 with seven members namely the US, the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and Canada, the G7 has always been an important forum for the world’s largest developed countries to seek consensus on many international and regional issues. The G7 economies currently account for 47% of global GDP.

The agenda for the 2018 G7 Summit is guided by five main themes. Aside from traditional issues, such as building a more peaceful and secure world, advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment, and investing in inclusive growth, the G7 countries are also interested in the pressing issues in the new global context, notably working together on climate change, oceans and clean energy, and preparing for future employment trends.

Vietnam has fine relations with the G7 countries, having established strategic partnerships with five member countries and comprehensive partnerships with the other two. This is the second time that Vietnam has been invited to attend the G7 Summit as a guest country.

At this year’s G7 Summit, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc will deliver a speech in which he affirms Vietnam’s efforts and significant contributions in dealing with global issues and challenges such as climate change response, environmental protection, efficient energy use and renewable energy development, sustainable fishing, and protection of ocean environments.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc’s visit to Canada comes at a time when the two countries are undertaking activities to mark the 45th anniversary of diplomatic ties (1973-2018), and the Vietnam-Canada relationship has recorded positive developments in politics, diplomacy, economics and trade, education and training, people-to-people exchanges, especially since the two countries established a comprehensive partnership on the occasion of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s visit to Vietnam in November 2017.

Vietnam is currently Canada’s largest trading partner in ASEAN. Two-way trade in 2017 reached nearly US$5 billion. Canada has 149 active investment projects in Vietnam, with a total capital of US$4.1 billion, ranking 14th among the 112 countries and territories investing in Vietnam.

Vietnam and Canada are cooperating and coordinating well at multilateral organisations and forums, especially at the United Nations, the Francophonie, the ASEAN-Canada Dialogue and the Comprehensive Partnership for Trans-Pacific Partnership.

Canada highly appreciates Vietnam’s nomination for non-permanent membership of the UN Security Council for the 2020-2021 term. Vietnam supports Canada’s bid to become a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the 2021-2022 term.

During the visit to Canada, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc will hold talks with his Canadian counterpart to discuss measures and orientations for implementing cooperation areas outlined in the 2017 joint statement on the establishment of a comprehensive partnership.

The two leaders will discuss measures to maintain the positive momentum of the bilateral relationship, as well as fostering cooperation in advanced technologies, clean and sustainable energy, marine research, and climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc’s invitation to attend the 2018 G7 Summit reflects the importance that the G7 members attach to Vietnam’s increasing role and position on the international stage, especially after Vietnam successfully hosted the APEC Summit in 2017. Themes of the G7 Summit agenda are basically in line with Vietnam’s concerns and interests, a marine country highly vulnerable to climate change and sea level rise.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc’s visit to Canada affirms Vietnam’s consistent policy of attaching importance to and desiring to further improve the comprehensive partnership with Canada, bolstering cooperation in areas in which the two countries have strengths and potential.

May Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc’s attendance at the G7 Summit and visit to Canada be a success, contributing to fostering cooperation between Vietnam and the G7 in general and each G7 member in particular; continuing to deepen the Vietnam-Canada comprehensive partnership for the sake of both countries’ people, for peace, stability, cooperation and development in the two regions and the world at large.